Vegan Mofo Day #4: Eating Out Vegan In Toronto Part I

Divine almond milk hot chocolate with custom leaf design from Dark Horse Espresso Bar.

On this fourth Vegan Mofo Day, I reflect on being a vegan style world traveler. Nine days away from epic solitary travel to Paris, Johannesburg, and Amsterdam! I'm excited, thrilled, nervous, anxious-- all the feelings. Plans include lots of art seeing, vegan eating (bookmarked Google directions to many restaurants), and the biggie-- the big Black Portraiture Conference.
We're asked to post a restaurant meal. I originally wanted to share a Philly spot that serves great falafel. Yet I decided to go the extra mile and take a post out of drafts. In fact, there are three posts about the splendid food in Toronto. This is one of three. I will try to bring them all out for Vegan Mofo if possible. I loved Toronto immensely, especially wonderful friendships created along my travel.
Last spring and summer, I spent ample time in visiting my second extended "family," having always brought them down something special from the states-- like a box of Dun Well Doughnuts or a batch of Sticky Freedom Bakery sweets. It's a small, seemingly insignificant gesture. Yet the real prize is being in Canada, spending time with special people, seeing magnificent art, learning unique culture whilst enjoying delectable eats with great company. After all, isn't that the most important incentive about traveling-- finding ones who can celebrate the world alongside you? 

Bloomer's

I loved walking down to Bloomer's for a pleasant breakfast. It smelled of fresh coffee and baked goods, all stunningly displayed at the front. Choosing a pastry to have alongside almond milk hot chocolate was always difficult.

Chocolate sprinkle and raspberry frosted doughnuts-- both were beautiful and delicious.

Through Being Cool Vegan

Through being Cool Vegan is one of the hottest vegan spots in Toronto. They're well known for having an eclectic range of doughnuts, brownies, and Daiya cheese pinwheels (excellent!). Yet they also have sandwiches, salads, and a hit macaroni & cheese among other carry out meal specialties.

Lemon pound cake, chocolate doughnuts, and vanilla icing dripping off cinnamon buns had a mouthwatering affect on sanity.

Famous pinwheels usually gone before noon. One is just Daiya Cheddar and the other is Daiya Cheddar with jalapenos. These are super duper scrumptious. My heart swoons at the memory of these amazing swirls of vegan goodness.

Croissants, scones, lemon bars, and brownies galore.

This was my take home Philly box-- two chocolate stuffed croissants, a Daiya Cheddar & Jalapeno pinwheel, and a powdered blueberry filled doughnut.

Out and about eating croissants. This had been the first time I tried a vegan croissant-- much prior to ones served at Philly's Tasty Diner.

Hogtown Vegan

Hogtown Vegan was comfort food central. With American style menu items like Philly cheese steak, "beef" and dumplings stew, fried "clams," and so much more, it's definitely a place that calls for visitors to don their best sweatpants. Above my friend had the Southern Combo. It featured their amazing mac n' cheese, fried soy chicken strips, and collard greens with house made BBQ sauce.

I had the giant bacon cheeseburger-- a juicy well-cooked soy patty with melted Daiya cheddar, tasty tofu bacon, tangy pickles, crisp lettuce, and yummy onions on a sesame seed bun with a side of perfectly browned French fries.

Apiecalypse Now!

Apiecalypse Now! is the premiere vegan pizza parlor ran by Jen and Brenton (he used to work at Hogtown Vegan!). They serve terrific pizza slices and have an array of punk themed cupcakes and doughnuts as well as ice cream. Funnily enough, here I met up with an Instagram follower from Seattle who invited me to spend some time out in the west coast. Apparently their vegan scene is worthwhile.

These crispy mozzarella sticks, sided with zesty marinara sauce, were a bonafide highlight. Mimicking memories, breaded coating covers ooey gooey cheesy goodness. Three sticks is simply not enough.

Porterhouse (Closed Forever)

Unfortunately, the yummy, innovative Porterhouse closed down for good over the summer. I thought I would eventually come back to try the lentil and ale pot pie or the beer battered dumplings. So this saddens me a bit. I don't mean to feel weepy at this moment, but I liked that this was a place where vegetables took full reign. There were no faux meats here. This is how I came to enjoy jackfruit, having had it for the first time. That's my sandwich above topped with house made slaw and a side of thick cut French fries.

My friend had the Yuba sandwich also topped with their signature slaw with fries and beer ketchup on the side. Yuba (something I had never heard of) is the crispy skin of bean curd that is pulled apart like jackfruit.

South Indian Dosa Mahal

This trippy pink painted cash only dosa place-- street food central-- had appetizing pocket foods on the cheap. I survived on terrific samosas and flavorful spinach filled dosas.

Spinach and potato rolls were to die for.

2 for $1 chewy, bite sized mango and coconut valipan are delightful balls sweetened with maple syrup.